CAMP is an interdisciplinary science and engineering
endeavor dedicated to research on
high-technology materials processing. This research is focused on the
production, modification and conversion of matter for which "small" particles,
colloidal media and / or surfaces play an important role in the process
and /or properties of the final product. Presented here are some highlights
of the research during CAMP's sixteenth year as a New York State Center
for Advanced Technology

The
Research

PARTICLE SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES

Preparation
of Uniform Particles for Medical Applications and CMP

Professor Egon Matijevic'
( the Victor K. LaMer Chair in Colloid and Surface Science) has extended
his studies of well-defined colloidal and nanosized particles to organic
compounds, especially of interest in medical applications. His research
group has demonstrated that different drugs, such as hydrocortisone, naproxen,
cyclosporine, loratadine, and danazol can be prepared as uniform particles
of various shapes and modal sizes. These investigations are of special
interest in view of the recent recognition of the importance of the morphological
characteristics of such compounds in their medical activities.

In collaboration
with Professors Privman and Goia, a comprehensive experimental and theoretical
investigation of the mechanism of the formation of monodispersed colloids
by aggregation of nanosize precursors is continuing. A refined model has
been successfully tested on the growth of CdS spheres.

Finally a systematic
study, in collaboration with Professor Babu, dealing with a careful evaluation
of the properties of particles used as abrasives in chemical-mechanical
polishing is in progress. The effects of low k polymers and of slurry
chemistry on the efficiency of polishing processes and the quality of
the treated surfaces are also under investigation.

Metallic
Particles

CAMP
Professor Dan Goia is involved in the synthesis, characterization, and
modification of ultra-fine and nanosize metallic and metal-composite particles
with controlled size, shape, internal structure, composition, and surface
properties. Besides being already used extensively in catalysis, electronics,
metallurgy, and pigments, these materials could have a significant impact
in many emerging technological fields such as medicine, biology, defense,
nonlinear optics, energy generation, and magnetic storage. Professor Goia
also has several active government and industrial grants to conduct research
in the areas of metal and metal-composite particles for defense applications,
heterogeneous metallic catalysts for PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) and
solid oxide fuel cells, precious and base metal powders for electronic
components, metallic flakes for electromagnetic interference shielding,
nanosize metallic particles for medical and antimicrobial applications,
and metal composite powders for metallurgical applications.

In
a collaborative project, CAMP Professors Janos Fendler (CAMP Distinguished
Professor of the Chemistry Department) and Dipankar Roy are studying multilayered
thin films that are composed of highly ordered nanomaterials. These films
are fabricated by using the technique of self-assembly. Molecular self-assembly
is now widely recognized as a cost-effective approach to nanofabrication
of biomaterials. It often involves relatively simple and well-developed
chemical techniques, and at the same time, can provide highly ordered
molecular nanostructures that are precisely tailored with desired chemical
properties and complex functionalities. Biosensors based on the surface
plasmon resonance (SPR) technique utilize these unique features of self-assembled
monolayers (SAMs). These SPR sensors (also known as evanescent field sensors)
use a densely packed organic SAM (typically 0.5-1.5 nm long, and longer
for some proteins), supported by a 40-60 nm thick gold film on an optically
transparent solid dielectric substrate as a template for immobilized bio-recognition
molecules (sensing element). The CAMP groups are studying how such self-assembled
structures can be modified in a precisely controlled manner to further
improve the performance of currently existing SPR sensors, as well as
to develop new classes of sensors.

Research
in this area by the CAMP groups is continuing, and it is expected that
the new results will considerably ease the difficult task of designing
nanoparticle-based high performance SPR biosensors. Currently Professors
Fendler and Roy are attempting to combine FFT-EIS with the SPR technique.
Their goal is to eventually achieve new types of opto-electrochemical
biosensors that would have much broader capabilities than the currently
available sensors based on single detection methods.

Complete
lists of recently published research reports from Professors Fendler's
and Roy's groups can be found at the following websites: www.clarkson.edu/~samoy/pub.htm

For
information about Professor Fendler and his research, you may call him
at 315-268-7113 or send email to fendler@clarkson.edu.

For information about Professor Roy and his research, you may call him
at 315-268-6676 or send email to samoy@clarkson.edu.

CAMP
Receives the First Annual Leadership Award in Nanomaterials R&D

Clarkson University's
Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP) has been selected
to receive the first annual Leadership Award in Nanomaterials. CAMP's
award category is titled "Leadership in Nanomaterials R&D." This
prestigious award was presented at the NANOPARTICLES 2003 Conference
(the Sixth Annual Business Communications Company Conference) held
October 26-29 in Cambridge, MA.